They Can't Burn Us All
By Cathryn Kemp

They Can’t Burn Us All is a dark, atmospheric historical novel and feminist retelling of the notorious Kirkjuból witch trials in 17th-century Iceland.The story is set in the Westfjords of Iceland in 1655, at a time when the Protestant Reformation and religious fear are transforming Icelandic society. Unlike many European witch hunts, where women were most commonly accused, Iceland's witch trials disproportionately targeted educated men, particularly those suspected of practising magic. At the centre of the novel is Þuríður Jónsdóttir, a young woman raised among the old traditions of Iceland. Her father and brother practise rune magic, but when both men are accused of witchcraft and condemned to be burned at the stake, Þuríður is unable to save them.Her situation becomes even more dangerous when Lutheran Pastor Jón Magnússon turns his attention toward her. She becomes the first woman to be accused of witchcraft, forcing her to confront a community increasingly dominated by fear, religious persecution and suspicion. Þuríður refuses to become a passive victim. She must decide how far she is willing to go to fight back—and whether the people around her will stand with her or surrender to the forces of persecution.

The novel explores female courage, religious fanaticism, superstition, oppression, family loyalty, justice and the power of speaking out. Its harsh Icelandic landscape—ice, storms, isolation and fire—forms an important part of the story's dark and haunting atmosphere.